Amano: High Quality, Made To Last, Hand Knitted Clothing.

Launched in 1988 by James Audsley + Michelle Myers, Amano is an ethical, Manchester-based fashion brand – that makes quality, made-to-last, hand-knitted pieces.

Amano = ethical, fair-trade fashion.

The range includes knitwear (such as crochet scarves and jumpers), and clothing/accessories with bold colours and distinctive prints (such as flower motifs), that are made from all-natural fibres, including Sheep Wool, Cotton, and Alpaca (with a soft, durable, lightweight finish).

To reduce waste, Amano creates its collections in small quantities using its own wool (which is dyed in four primary colours – to obtain over forty custom shades).

Additionally, each knitwear garment is lovingly-finished with the name of the exact artisan who crafted the piece. Also, Amano is committed to ethical production (they’ve continued to work with several of the same artisans in South America for more than thirty years).

“We believe in great knitwear that is a statement for the now, and the tomorrow – fun, beautiful, and unique, and crafted in a way where each step is taken with respect, care, and laughter,” said Amano’s Founder James Audsley.

Whilst teaching in South America, Amano’s James Audsley and Michelle Myers stumbled across a selection of knitwear garments that grabbed their attention. They purchased as many pieces as they could.

After successfully selling the garments at local markets in London, James returned to Ecuador and Bolivia, where he came into contact with Yumiko (the artist – Amano worked with Yumiko during the 90’s and the 00’s).

NEXT UP: James commissioned a team of local artisans to make more pieces, and he continued to sell these at Portobello Road and Camden. It wasn’t long before the brand gained recognition from the likes of Helena Bonham Carter – as well as an appearance in the film, ‘About a Boy.’

Find out more here: https://www.foreveramano.com